BACKGROUNDChaenomeles
refers to the fruit of the Chinese flowering quince, called mugua (wood fruit); it should not be confused with the item sold in
Oriental food markets as mugua, which is ordinary papaya. For
Chinese herbal medicine, the dried, ripe fruits from Chaenomeles
speciosa are selected(some other species may be
substituted; see Appendix about quinces). This plant is in the Rose
family that is the source of other fruits commonly used in Chinese
medicine, including crataegus, mume, rose, and rubus. Like
chaenomeles, these fruits have a markedly sour taste. Chaenomeles is
a close relative of apples and pears.

Chaenomeles fruits are picked in late summer and autumn when they turn
greenish-yellow; they are then blanched with boiling water, turning
the skin grayish-white in color; then cut in half lengthwise and
dried. The fresh fruits, which are harshly acidic and thus not
edible raw, are used in making jams and jellies (sometimes with
sweeter fruits, like apples). The plant is decorative, with showy
flowers. Chaenomeles and other quinces have been grown for centuries
for food, medicine, and so that people may enjoy their beauty.

The
Chinese herb was first described in the Mingyi Bielu by Tao
Hongjing (ca. 500 A.D.). Its special reputation is that it relaxes
the tendons, muscles, and meridians. This property was originally
understood in relation to the ancient concept that the sour taste
softens the liver (the liver belongs to the wood element, hence the
name “wood fruit”) and thereby relaxes the tendons, which
are considered under the control of the liver system. Chaenomeles is
also considered a valuable therapy for moisture accumulation, so when
stiffness is accompanied by swelling, this herb is often a
significant ingredient in the formula to be prescribed. An
additional beneficial property is that the fruits help alleviate
indigestion.

As
is the case with most sour fruits, this one contains several organic
acids such as malic, tartaric, fumaric, citric, and ascorbic acids.
Active constituents responsible for treatment of pain and spasm are
thought to include some saponins (glycosides), which are not yet
well-defined. Initial pharmacology studies suggest an
anti-inflammatory action for these components.

TRADITIONAL
THERAPEUTIC APPROACHESChaenomeles
is applied for several methods of therapy. One of these, warming the
liver, is often ignored in modern practice, because so much emphasis
is placed on removing liver heat, yet it is potentially important.
Liver cold syndrome is mentioned by Qin Bowei (1), involving either
invasion of pathogenic cold to the liver, causing qi and blood to
congeal with symptoms of cold limbs and abdominal pain, or from yang
deficiency of the liver, causing lassitude, low endurance for work
and for stress, and cold limbs. Chaenomeles is included as part of a
short list of herbs commonly used for that purpose; the others being
cinnamon bark, epimedium, artemesia (mugwort), and fennel. Qin notes
that:

Aside from dissipating cold qi from the liver, this
category of medicinals also strengthens the liver and is used for
insufficiency. Consequently, it supplements the yang of the liver.
In prescribing supplementation of liver yang, these warming
medicinals must be assisted by those for nourishing the blood because
warming medicinals should not be used alone.

For
chaenomeles, he also points out that “the liver governs the
sinew and this medicinal is used for lack of strength in the lower
extremities.” The effect of chaenomeles on the sinews is both
to strengthen and relax. Jiao Shude (2) explains this effect on the
sinews:

Chaenomeles treats diseases of the sinews. It relaxes
sinew tension and tightens slack sinews. In clinical practice, it is
used for summer heat-damp damaging the center, engendering incessant
vomiting and diarrhea that causes spasms of the gastrocnemius of both
legs (this disorder is known a “cholera cramps”)….[it
is also used] for invasion of damp evil causing disharmony of the
channels and network vessels, slack sinews, inhibited joints,
swelling, distention, and deep pain (damp impediment)….White
peony treats diseases of the sinews; it primarily emolliates the
liver and relaxes tension to nourish the sinews. Chaenomeles also
treats diseases of the sinews, but it chiefly disinhibits dampness
and warms the liver to soothe the sinews.

This
effect of overcoming dampness is further elaborated by Jiao:

Chaenomeles disinhibits dampness and warms the spleen
and stomach. It is used for exuberant dampness in the center
burner….It is also commonly used for dampness evil streaming
into the lower leg and upper surface of the foot resulting in damp
leg qi.

Yang
Yifang (3) also points out the similar actions of peony and
chaenomeles, with a focus on the dampness-eliminating action of
chaenomeles:

Chaenomeles is sour, warm, and aromatic. It primarily
enters the spleen meridian. It can transform dampness in the middle
burner, revive the spleen, and harmonize the stomach. It can be used
for exterior damp-cold in the middle burner, and treating vomiting
and diarrhea, cramping pain in the abdomen, and even cramp in the
legs. It also enters the liver meridian and transforms dampness and
relaxes the muscle and tendons. It can be used for damp painful
obstruction syndrome, in which stiffness of the body, cramp in the
limbs, swelling of the ankles, and difficulty in walking are present.
It is an aromatic herb, but its tendency of action is descending; it
is commonly used for dampness in the lower body.

Chaenomeles and peony both are able to relieve cramping
pain in the abdomen, cramp of the muscles and tendons of the limbs,
and they can be used together. However, there are some differences
in their actions. Chaenomeles relaxes the sinews by transforming
dampness and invigorating the collaterals; it treats cramps and
stiffness which are caused by dampness. Peony is sour and cold and
enters the liver meridians. As sourness and cold generate yin, it is
able to nourish the yin and blood of the tendons, therefore relaxing
the muscles, tendons, and ultimately alleviating cramp. It treats
cramp which is caused by yin deficiency. If cramp is caused by
obstruction of dampness as well as yin deficiency, chaenomeles and
peony should be used together.

TRADITIONAL FORMULASA good
example of the use of chaenomeles in formulas for indigestion,
digestive distress due to summer heat, and damp accumulation in the
spleen and stomach is Liuhe Tang (Six Harmonizations
Decoction):

Ginseng

Pogostemon

Pinellia

Atractylodes

Dolichos

Apricot seed

Hoelen

Cardamom

Chaenomeles

Licorice

Magnolia Bark

This formula is derived from Four Major Herbs
Combination (Si Junzi Tang) with additional herbs for summer
heat (pogostemon, dolichos), for dispersing central stagnation of
fluid (magnolia bark, cardamom), and for resolving phlegm (apricot
seed, pinellia). Chaenomeles is included to enhance the fluid
resolving actions and to protect against the muscle cramping
mentioned in the previous descriptions as a secondary effect of the
stomach-spleen disorder. The formula is intended to separate the
fluid phases, so that clear fluid can ascend to the heart, lungs, and
head, while turbidity can descend (to be eliminated by urination).
The herbs are used in doses of about 6 grams each in decoction.

An
example of use of chaenomeles for spasms is Shujin Zhuangli Wan (Tendon Soothing and Strengthening Pill), the main ingredients are
listed here:

Chaenomeles

Frankincense

Tu-huo

Eucommia

Myrrh

Chiang-huo

Pyrite

Achyranthes

Siler

Carthamus

Calamus

Cinnamon twig

The herbs chaenomeles and eucommia are specifically
selected for benefiting the tendons; eucommia has latex that
stretches but is strong, like the condition of healthy tendons. The
formula is also designed to disperse static blood (generated by
injuries) and dispel wind (a pathological factor that yields
inflammation, pain, and stiffness). The formula is indicated for all
kinds of chronic and acute injuries to the tendons and for chronic
injuries of the legs accompanied by pain. The herbs are combined in
roughly equal amounts, ground to powder, and taken about 4.5 grams
each time.

APPENDIX:
CHAENOMELES AS A TYPE OF QUINCEThe
name quince derives from fruit that is found in the Mediterranean
area, but has been applied to related fruits, including those growing
in the Orient. Quince is an ancient fruit tree, whose center of
origin is a large area in Asia Minor and the Caucasus. Quince was
cultivated for its fruits by the Greeks and Romans; the genus name
for the Mediterranean plant, Cydonia, is the ancient name of
the Crete town of Chania. The quince is now the only member of the
genus Cydonia: three shrubby quinces previously included in
the genus Cydonia are now classified in the genus Chaenomeles.
In China, the following species are used as a source of fruits
(where a species is indicated as possibly a variety of another
species, it might also be the same as the other species; these
had been classified previously as species of Cydonia):

Cydonia
oblonga (= C. vulgaris) is the Mediterranean fruit, which
had a significant role in mythology. The “golden apples”
that Hercules stole from Zeus for his eleventh labor were quince (the
apple-like quince turns a golden yellow, but the species of apples
present in the area at the time did not). The story, which involves
a substantial number of the ancient gods, has been told this way
(Persus Project, Tufts University):

Poor Hercules! After eight years and one month, after
performing ten superhuman labors, he was still not off the hook.
Eurystheus demanded two more labors from the hero, since he did not
count the hydra or the Augean stables as properly done. Eurystheus
commanded Hercules to bring him golden apples which belonged to Zeus,
king of the gods. Hera had given these apples to Zeus as a wedding
gift, so surely this task was impossible. Hera, who didn’t
want to see Hercules succeed, would never permit him to steal one of
her prize possessions, would she? These apples were kept in a
garden at the northern edge of the world, and they were guarded not
only by a hundred-headed dragon, named Ladon, but also by the
Hesperides, nymphs who were daughters of Atlas, the titan who held
the sky and the earth upon his shoulders.

Hercules’ first problem was that he didn’t
know where the garden was. He journeyed through Libya, Egypt,
Arabia, and Asia, having adventures along the way. He was stopped by
Kyknos, the son of the war god, Ares, who demanded that Hercules
fight him. After the fight was broken up by a thunderbolt, Hercules
continued on to Illyria, where he seized the sea-god Nereus, who knew
the garden’s secret location. Nereus transformed himself into
all kinds of shapes, trying to escape, but Hercules held tight and
didn’t release Nereus until he got the information he needed.

Continuing on his quest, Hercules was stopped by
Antaeus, the son of the sea god, Poseidon, who also challenged
Hercules to fight. Hercules defeated him in a wrestling match,
lifting him off the ground and crushing him, because when Antaeus
touched the earth he became stronger. After that, Hercules met up
with Busiris, another of Poseidon’s sons, was captured, and was
led to an altar to be a human sacrifice. But Hercules escaped,
killing Busiris, and journeyed on.

Hercules came to the rock on Mount Caucasus where
Prometheus was chained. Prometheus, a trickster who made fun of the
gods and stole the secret of fire from them, was sentenced by Zeus to
a horrible fate. He was bound to the mountain, and every day a
monstrous eagle came and ate his liver, pecking away at Prometheus’
tortured body. After the eagle flew off, Prometheus’ liver grew
back, and the next day he had to endure the eagle’s painful
visit all over again. This went on for 30 years, until Hercules
showed up and killed the eagle.

In gratitude, Prometheus told Hercules the secret to
getting the apples. He would have to send Atlas after them, instead
of going himself. Atlas hated holding up the sky and the earth so
much that he would agree to the task of fetching the apples, in order
to pass his burden over to Hercules. Everything happened as
Prometheus had predicted, and Atlas went to get the apples while
Hercules was stuck in Atlas’s place, with the weight of the
world literally on his shoulders.

When Atlas returned with the golden apples, he told
Hercules he would take them to Eurystheus himself, and asked Hercules
to stay there and hold the heavy load for the rest of time. Hercules
slyly agreed, but asked Atlas whether he could take it back again,
just for a moment, while the hero put some soft padding on his
shoulders to help him bear the weight of the sky and the earth.
Atlas put the apples on the ground, and lifted the burden onto his
own shoulders. And so Hercules picked up the apples and quickly ran
off, carrying them back, uneventfully, to Eurystheus.

There was one final problem: because they belonged to
the gods, the apples could not remain with Eurystheus. After all the
trouble Hercules went through to get them, he had to return them to
Athena, who took them back to the garden at the northern edge of the
world.

The
use of these “golden apples” (quince) as wedding gifts—as
mentioned at the beginning of the story—was also a Greek
custom: they were given to every Greek bride on her wedding day as a
symbol of fertility and happiness. Due to its color, fragrance, and
many seeds, the fruit was dedicated by the Greeks to Aphrodite (for
the Romans: Venus), the goddess of love, and a symbol for beauty,
love, fertility, and a happy marriage. The eating of quince at
weddings is said to be preparative of sweet and delightful days
between the married persons.

The
fruit has been prized ever since for its beautiful pink flowers and
penetrating fragrance, described as “a blend of tropical fruit
and apple/pear notes strong enough to freshen an entire room”
(note: Yang Yifang mentioned the aromatic quality of chaenomeles;
some of the Chinese varieties have little aroma, however). The fruit
is also mentioned as a medicinal by the Greek physician Theophrastus
(ca. 300 B.C.).